MADRID -- The center court at next week's Tennis Masters Series tournament in Madrid will look more like a catwalk than a sports arena after organizers decided to drop the traditional ball boys and ball girls in favor of glamorous female models.

The organizers are reported to be paying the 25 women an average of $1,115 to do the job previously done by enthusiastic young volunteers from local tennis clubs.

Coach Julio Nieto admitted that he had had a tough job in training the models for the tournament.

"We have had to show them what the sport is all about," he told sports daily As. "We had to start by explaining what a game, a set and ace were and then tell them when and how to pass the players the balls.

"It's not going to be perfect, but I'll be happy if things turn out well and there are no protests from the players. Although personally I think that with such beautiful girls the players are going to be distracted."

World No. 1 Roger Federer leads the field at the tournament, which begins Monday.